Physical Aggression and Coronary Artery Calcification: A North Texas Healthy Heart Study

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the association between aspects of hostility and coronary artery calcification (CAC) scores. Specifically, analyses differentiated between subtypes of hostility and their relation to CAC. Methods: A sample of 571 patients aged 45 or older with no history of cardiovascular disease completed assessments of demographic, psychosocial, and medical history, along with a radiological CAC determination. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between hostility and CAC. Hostility was measured using the Aggression Questionnaire, which measured total aggression and how aggression is manifested on four scales: Physical, Verbal, Anger, and Hostility Aggression. Results: Regression analyses indicated that only the physical aggression parameter was related to CAC: a 5% increase in odds of CAC presence was indicated for every point increase in physical aggression. The association remained significant in adjusted analyses. Other factors associated with CAC in adjusted analyses included: age, gender, race/ethnicity, BMI, and dyslipidemia. Conclusions: Psychosocial factors, such as physical aggression, are emerging factors that need to be considered in cardiovascular risk stratification.